How to Ask For And (not &) Get the Job

by Niels H Nielsen reprinted from the NATIONAL BUSINESS EMPLOYMENT WEEKLY
from the publishers of the Wall Street Journal: Dow Jones & Company Inc

As a job seeker, you may view an interview as an interrogation or
exchange of information. It’s neither. Interviews are sales calls. And, as
any sales pro knows, you only get the sale by asking for it. You aren’t
begging for a handout when you ask for a job. You’re offering prospective
employers your experience and ability to contribute to their goals. If
employers don’t need your skills – or if you can create the need – you’ll
get the job. It may surprise you to learn employers like to hear candidates
say “I’d like to work here.” Dick Stone, a recruiter for Gemplus, a
SmartCard manufacturer in Montgomeryville, Pa., says, “I like it when
[candidates] give me the feeling they like us. A little flattery goes a long
way. Often the missing part in the interview is the commitment from the
candidate to the firm.” Sounds easy, but for most job hunters, it isn’t.
Asking for the job in lieu of silently waiting for an offer is the hardest
part. This step is what sales people call “closing” the sale. Anyone can
learn to apply the tricks of the sales trade to a job interview and close a
sale. Following these nine steps will help you ask for the job – and get it.

1. Prepare for the interview.

Learn what your prospect needs. Research the employer, formally and
informally. If you’re answering an advertisement, go beyond its sparse facts
to learn as much as you can about the organization. Determine which of your
skills, traits or experiences the employer needs. Then you can tailor your
credentials to your research findings. Plan your interview and rehearse your
message. This means converting your skills and experience into terms
employers will immediately recognize as useful. If you’re confused about
your benefit to the organization, the interviewer also will be confused and
there won’t be a job for you. Make your presentation persuasive and
believable.

2. Learn about the interviewer.

When you enter the interview, start by learning everything you can about
the interviewer. Forget labels and generalizations that categorize
personality types. Concentrate on that particular individual. Put yourself
in his or her shoes. Fear and greed are usually at work. A recruiter is
taking a risk in recommending a candidate. The hiring manager is taking a
bigger chance in choosing a candidate. If they make the wrong choice, at
minimum, time and money are wasted. At worst, a bad choice could jeopardize
the recruiter’s or manager’s job or even the success of the organization. So
it’s up to you, the candidate, to show the decision to hire you will be a
good one. If you turn out to be as terrific as you say, you bring success
not only to yourself but to the people who hired you. Be positive and
present good news. Help the interviewer relax and see you as someone who’s
going to solve his problems.

3. Use “consultative selling.”

The type of selling that works best is called “consultative selling.”
This isn’t high-pressure selling. There’s an old saw in sales: “Telling
ain’t selling, asking is.” By asking the right questions, you help the
employer come to the inevitable conclusion you’re the right choice. You
identify the problems and show you’re the person to solve them. You learn
the organization’s weaknesses and demonstrate how you can provide the
solution. This technique can create demand. Many times, it leads to the
employer exclaiming, “That’s just what we need here!”

4. Motivate yourself.

The desire to close – to ask for and get the offer – is essential. It can
be scary to be so bold. Most job hunters aren’t used to it, but it can be
done with practice. You just have to psych yourself up. Sell yourself first.
Expect success and think lucky, and you’ll create desire from within. Get
rid of negative thoughts and problems before you enter the interview. Be
confident and courageous. It takes audacity to ask for the job. When Judith
Gexlb of Lambertville, N.J., was seeking a job in international sales, she
sold herself on the idea she was a hot candidate. Next, she lined up
interviews. “The fact that I was in demand made me more appealing to
employers and precipitated offers,” she says. “They can smell when you’re
being sought after.”

When she had two offers pending, she was up front about it. “I made it
clear I had two other offers. The employers got worried about the risk of
losing a high-potential candidate,” says Ms. Gelb. “They quickly made
offers. I controlled my destiny.” Many salespeople take comfort in knowing
they can’t win them all. And you’ll encounter many employers who don’t need
your talents at this moment. (To put it in salesman’s terms, for example: I
don’t need a car right now. But I do need a computer, so it’ll be hard to
convince me to buy a car now. Maybe later. Unless you have a really good
deal for me now.) There’s a 98% chance of being told “no.” However, you have
a 2% chance of being told “yes.” By following these steps, you’ll boost your
chance for success. The best thing to do is take a chance and try to close
the deal. The probability you’ll hear “yes” will be higher than if you don’t
ask.

5. Know when to close.

When should you try to close? All the time. Keep trying throughout the
interview in small ways. These are called “trial closings.” For example,
when you learn the employer has a problem you’ve solved in your previous
job, explain how you solved it. Then ask, “Would this help you here?” The
answer will likely be “yes.” Do this whenever the opportunity arises.
Hearing “yes” along the way makes it easier and less frightening to ask for
a “yes” when the time is right for the big one. Close whenever the
interviewer is ready. Listen for signs of interest, look for body language
and sense when there’s an opportunity to close. Then ask for the offer. Some
candidates talk so much during interviews that they talk themselves out of a
job they’ve already landed. Or worse, they keep selling after they’ve made
the sale. Then they’re dead. Listen and give the interviewer a chance to
hire you. Silence is an amazingly powerful tool in closing. If you don’t say
anything, the interviewer may feel compelled to fill the void and tell you
something vital. Do this discretely. Too many silences can be awkward. Pace
yourself with the interviewer.

6. Try these closes.

There are many so-called “closes.” Several of them work particularly well
in job interviews. The choice close. This technique is useful when you are
setting up an appointment for an interview. Ask, “Is 9:30 a.m. or 2 p.m.
better for you?” This presupposes the interviewer will see you. Just asking,
“May I come in to see you?” may result in a “no” answer. It also works when
you’re asking for the job: “When do I start, Monday or Wednesday?” This may
seem aggressive, but it shows you’re ready and eager to work for that
employer. Third-party endorsements. When explaining an accomplishment that
will help the prospective employer, mention the employer you did it for. “At
XYZ company, I…” This gives you credibility and adds the strength of that
employer’s name to the story. Then ask, “Will this help you solve your
problem here, too?” Assumptive close. This is one of the best closes. You
simply talk and act as if you’re already working for the interviewer’s
organization. Use “we” and “us” in your conversation. Describe the
situations in which you can see yourself working and accomplishing goals.
Become part of the team even before you’ve been hired. Identify with the
interviewer and the organization. When you follow this strategy, the
employer feels more comfortable with you than if he or she has to make a
deliberate decision to extend an offer. When you assume you’ll get the job,
the only question remaining is, “When do I start, Monday or Wednesday?” A
word of caution: Don’t appear too eager. You need to maintain your
professionalism.

7. Overcome objections.

One stumbling block for many candidates is the inevitable objection:
You’re over-/under-qualified, too old/young, etc.” There are hundreds of
reasons given why candidates aren’t right for the job. Many are just excuses
or stalls to avoid the risk of hiring someone. Turn these objections into
opportunities to strengthen your candidacy. Acknowledge the objection. “You
feel I’m overqualified. That’s possible true.” Then turn the weakness into a
strength: “However, that means I’ll start being productive for you that much
faster. As I’ve mentioned, I solved this problem at XYZ company.” Make a
list of standard objections that apply to you or that you encounter and work
out the answers.

Overcoming objections is an art unto itself. The key is to
remember that patience and persistence pay off. Don’t take no for an
answer. Try one more time. The secret to closing is to keep trying.

8. Sum up and ask for the job.

When appropriate, summarize. Say what you have to offer based on your
accomplishments. Sales people call these “features.” Show how the features
will benefit the employer. Keep it simple and brief. Stick to basics.
Prepare one dramatic sentence on why you’re the person for the job. Remind
the interviewer how you’ve contributed at your previous employer and
reiterate how you’ll contribute to the success of the prospective one.

9. Confirm the close.

Repeat the terms of the offer as you’ve discussed it. Ask for
clarification of any terms not fully described or understood. Each time you
close, ask the interviewer, “Do you have any questions?” When you’ve been
completely clear about how you’ll help the employer – then and only then �����
close. Be sure to thank the interviewer at the end. Write the words “thank
you” in your follow-up letter, too, and repeat the statement of benefits you
used to close. Also add the other features and benefits you wished you’d
expressed during the interview. The thank-you packs a punch. As Mr. Stone
says, “You don’t often get thank-you letters. They mean a lot.” Asking for
the job intimidates most of us. Fortunately, these techniques can make it
easier to close the deal and get the job. Practice these tips and you’ll
soon grow comfortable with these methods and use them automatically.